Fluid dispensing apparatus with automatic flow arresting means



- June 18, 1957 A. CARRIOL 2,796,090

' FLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS WITH AUTOMATIC FLOW ARRESTING MEANS Filed May 28, 1954 j HYVEHTOKI Louis Ausl/STE' CARR/70L United States Patent 01 FLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS WITH AUTO- MATIC FLOW ARRESTING MEANS Louis Auguste Carriol, Aulnay-Sous-Bois, France, as-

signor to S. A. T. A. M. Societe Anouyme pour Tons Appareillages Mecaniques, La Courneuve, France, a company Application May 28, 1954, Serial No. 433,184

Claims priority, application France June 26, 1953 8 Claims. (Cl. 141-.198)

This invention relates to fluid dispensing apparatus having automatic flow arresting means, and has for its object to provide an improved automatic fl-ow arresting means.

A fluid dispensing apparatus according to the invention comprises, in combination, a throttle device capable of shutting off the distributing duct of the apparatus, the said throttle device being adapted to be opened by the operator, to be maintained open by the fluid so long as the rate of flow exceeds a predetermined rate, and to close when the rate of flow falls below the predetermined rate; a valve in series with said throttle device and urged towards its closed position by the flow of fluid; a by pass short-circuiting the said valve and permitting a maximum rate of flow therethrough under normal conditions of use of the apparatus which is less than the predetermined rate; means to hold said valve in an open position, and means to release said holding means when a predetermined quantity of liquid has been delivered.

The throttle device preferably comprises a main throttling member rigidly secured to a piston having a greater elfective area than said throttling member, a by-pass short-circuiting the said throttling device, one of the faces of the said piston being permanently subjected to the fluid pressure prevailing upstream of the throttle, whilst the other face is subjected to the pressure prevailing at a point in the by-pass; and an auxiliary operator-controlled throttle device capable when the main throttle device is closed, of closing the by-pass downstream f the said point.

The auxiliary throttle device may comprise an auxiliary throttling member co-operating with a seat rigidly secured to the main throttling member, the said auxiliary throttling member being movable in a duct, of larger cross-section than itself, carried by the main throttling member.

iln the attached diag-ranunatical drawings which are merely given by way of example:

Figure 1 illustrates a tank filling nozzle according to the present invention.

Figure 2 illustrates a tank-filling device having an automatic stop according to the present invent-ion, Fig. 2a illustrates a detail of the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, and

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate two positions of an alternative form of the valve of the device illustrated in Figure 2.

The tank-filling nozzle illustrated in Figure 1 has as its object to fill successively a number of tanks with a predetermined quantity of liquid.

The said tank-filling nozzle comprises a main distributing duct 1, 2, 3, 4, which terminates in a nozzle 5 intended to be introduced into the tank to be filled (not shown). A device 6 for measuring the effective quantity of liquid delivered is interposed between the sections 1 and 2 of the distributing duct. A valve box 7 is interposed between the sections 2 and 3 of the said distributing-duct and contains a valve '8 which can pivot about a a 2579'6009 0 Patented June 18, 1957 ice the box 7. The valve 8 is pierced by a hole 37 forming a bypass which short-circuits the valve and which has, under normal conditions of use, a rate of flow less than a pre-determined rate of flow calledthe limiting rate of flow. Via a shaft 11, and transmission 12 comprising a Worm and a helicoidal wheel, the measuring device 6 drives the shaft 13 of a cam 14 having a notch 15. Pivot.- ing freely around the shaft 13 is a shutter 16 which a spring 17 tends to bring into such a position as to mask the notch 15. The said spring 17 is in fact attached to the said shutter 16 and to a stud 18 which at the same time limits the movement of the shutter 16. The outer edge of the shutter extends slightly beyond the pe riphery of the cam 14 in the position in which the slot 15 is masked. The free end of the arm 10 is connected by a rod 19 to one of the arms of a lever 20 which pivots around a shaft 21 and is subjected to the tensionof a spring 36. The other nose-shaped arm 22 of the lever 20 is applied to the periphery of the cam 14 under the action of the flow through the valve 8. A box 23 is interposed between the sect-ions 3 and 4 of the duct 1, 2, 3, 4, and forms a cylinder in which a piston 24 can move, and a seating 25 for a throttling member 26 fast with the piston 24. It should be noted that the cross-section of the seating 25, and therefore the effective cross-section of the throttling member 26, is smaller than the cross-section of the piston 24. The movable arrangement formed by the piston 24 and the throttling member 26 comprises a central channel 27, the upper end of which forms a seating 28 for an auxiliary throttling member 29, and which connects the part 4 of the duct 14 to that part of the box 23 which is situated above the piston 24 so as to form, together with a calibrated orifice 30, a by-pass 30, 27, which short-circuits the main throttle 26 and can be closed by the auxiliary throttling member 29 when the latter is applied to its seating 28. A spring 31 tends to bring the movable arrangement 24, 26, into the position in which the seating 25 is closed by the main throttling member 26. The auxiliary throttling member 29 is fast with a rod 32 which projects out of the box 23. The said rod 32 is thrust upwards by a spring 33 and can be pushed down by the operator by means of a lever 34 which is loosely fitted upon a shaft 35. The seatings 25 and 28 are opened or closed simultaneously by their respective throttling members except when the operator opens the throttling member 29 by means of the lever 34. A

The device hereinbefore described operates as follows:

Assuming that it is desired to fill a number of tanks with twenty litres of liquid, the cam 14 makes a complete rotation each time that the measuring device 6 records twenty litres. Having inserted the nozzle 5 into the tank to be filled, the operator so bears upon the lever 34 as to lift the auxiliary throttling member from its seating 28, and liquid flows through, since the valve 8 is open at rest as a result of the action of the spring 36. If the operator has'pressed the lever 34 with suflicient force, this flow .of liquid is greater than a flow called the limiting flow and effects the opening of the movable arrangement 24, 26. The operator can then release the lever 34 entirely, since the auxiliary throttling member 29 can no longer come on to its seating 28 which has been lifted. Thus, the flow continues and rotates the cam 14, the notch 15 of which is hidden by the shutter 16. Simultaneously, the liquid exerts upon the valve 8 a pressure which tends to close the valve 8 against the action of the spring 36. The nosepiece 22 is therefore thrust against the periphery of the cam 14 on which it slides. When it encounters the shutter 16, it thrusts it away and drops into the notch 15. The valve 8 can then .close and the liquid can .now only continue to flow through the orifice 37.

p The flow is reduced below the limiting flow, which causes shaft 9 and which is rigidly secured toan arm '10 outside a descent of the movable arrangement 24, 26, which is applied to the auxiliary throttling member 29. The flow stops and the valve 8 opens under the action of the spring 36 and of the pressure equilibrium effected between the two faces of the said valve by the hole 37. The lever then lifts again, which permits of the shutter 16 again masking the notch 15. The tank has received the twenty litres of liquid desired.

In order to fill a new tank, it is sufficient for the operator to depress the lever 34 again.

In order to modify the quantity of liquid to be delivered at each operation, it is suflicient to change the ratio of the transmission 11, 12, 13 by interposing a change-speed box'or to replace the cam 14 by a preselector mechanism which causes the lever 20 to tilt in order to effect an automatic closure of the valve 8 when the quantity set on the preselector mechanism has in fact been delivered.

The quantity of liquid could also be altered:

(a) Either by replacing the cam 14 by a plurality of cams having a different number of notches with selection of the lever co-operating with the cam selected.

(17) Or by replacing the cam 14 by a plurality of identical cams rotating at different speeds.

The device illustrated in Figure 2 has as its object to fill a tank 40 up to the level determined by the end of a duct 41. The liquid arrives through a duct 42 and penetrates into a casing 43 identical with the casing 23, illustrated in Figure 1 (the members in the said casing have the same references as the corresponding members in Figure 1). At its outlet from the casing 43, the liquid passes into a flexible tube 44 and then penetrates into a valve box 45 in which is a valve 46 fast with a piston 47, the effective cross section of which is greater than that of the valve 46. A spring 48 tends to remove the valve 46 off its seating 49. The force of the said spring is so calculated as to lift the valve 47 when the pressure of the liquid contained in the flexible tube 44 is below a given value. The chamber 50, in which the spring 48 is located, communicates with a tube 51 of the type known as a Pitot tube, which opens into an enclosed space 52 and which is situated in the path of a stream of liquid issuing from a jet 53 which communicates through a duct 54 with that part of the box 45 which is situated upstream of the seating 49. The duct 41 opens into the enclosed space 52 between the end of the jet 53 and the inlet orifice of the tube 51. When the liquid has passed the seating 49, it flows away through a duct 55.

The operation of this device is as follows:

When it is required to fill the tank 40 up to the level of the end of the duct 41, the operator presses the lever 34 right down, which has the efiect of opening the throttling members 26 and 29 as in the preceding example. The liquid flows through 42, the box 43, and the pipe 44, passes the seating 49, which is open due to the action of the spring 48, and flows into the tank 40 through the duct 55. The action of the liquid upon the valve 46 and upon the piston 47 tends to close the valve 46 by reason of the fact that the cross-section of the piston 47 is greater than that of the valve 46, but the valve 46 cannot close as the liquid passing through the duct 54 issues from the jet 53 under pressure. In the tube 51, which is situated in the path of the stream, a pressure is created which, with the aid of the spring 48, maintains the piston 47 in the position shown. Simultaneously, the stream of liquid in the chamber 52 creates a suction effect in the duct 41.

In this connection reference may be had to Fig. 2a in which the means forming the chamber 52 will be seen to be formed with an open end 52a into which the end 51a it is the supply of air which comes out of this conduit 41 that permits the continued existence of the jet and therefore the continued existence of fluid pressure in the conduit 51. During the continued operation of the device, i. e. during the continuing supply of liquid from the nozzle 53, all liquid incapable of being absorbed within the conduit 51 and the space below the piston 47 will pass out of the open end 52a and flow into the tank 40, so that smooth operation of the device is assured even after the conduit 51 and the space below the piston 47 are completely filled with liquid.

Once the liquid in the tank 40 has attained such a level as to reach the lower end of the duct 41, the supply of air which can be sucked through this duct is first reduced and then cut oif. As a result, no more air can be sucked into the chamber 52 so that the formation of the jet of fluid is terminated. -This will reduce the pressure in the tube 51 and consequently in the space below the piston 47, so that this holding force previously exerted by this pressure is no longer present.

In this connection, reference may be had to pending application Serial No. 319,985, filed November 12, 1952, in which the parts 11c, l2, l3 and 18 shown in Fig. function in a manner identical to that of parts 52, 53, 51a and 41 respectively of the instant application. The valve 46, which is now only maintained open by the action of the spring 48 (insutficient to withstand the action of the liquid delivered) is brought into its closed position. Delivery therefore continues through the ducts 54 and 41 at a speed below the limiting rate of flow, which causes the closure of the main throttling member 26 and the total cessation of delivery.

Due to the action of the spring 48, the valve 46 opens at the moment at which the flexible tube is disconnected downstream of the limiter 26. The liquid contained in the latter can therefore flow away rapidly into the tank.

The valve 46 can be replaced by a disc 60 as can be seen in Figures 3 and 4. The said disc 60 can close in an easy fit a restricted portion 63, in which case the spring 48 is replaced by a spring 62. When the pressure below the piston 47 drops, the arrangement 60, 47 descends, disc 60 blocks the restricted portion 63 and the throttling member 26 closes. Due to the action of the spring 62, the arrangement 60, 47, continues to descend until the piston 47 abuts a stop 64 as illustrated in Figure 4. It is then possible to empty the flexible tube 44.

In the case of a new delivery operation, the opening of the throttling member 29 by the operator, and hence the opening of the throttling member 26, permit a further quantity of liquid to flow. The flow thereof in the jet 53 and the pressure resulting from this flow in the duct 51, and hence below the piston 47, returns the movable arrangement into the position illustrated in Figure 3. The operator can then release the lever 34 and delivery continues normally.

I claim:

1. In a fluid distributing apparatus, in combination, a housing formed with an inlet and an outlet for a liquid flowing through said housing; a first valve seat fixed to and located within said housing in the path of liquid flow from said inlet to said outlet; a piston slidable in said housing toward and away from said valve seat; a first valve member fixed to said piston for movement therewith and located opposite said valve seat for movement into and out of engagement with the same; bypass means carried by said piston for movement therewith for providing a liquid path bypassing said piston, said bypass means communicating permanently with said outlet of said housing and including a second valve seat movable with said piston and a manually operable second valve member carried by said housing for movement to and from a rest position engaging said second valve seat when said first valve member engages said first valve seat, to prevent the flow of liquid through said bypass means;

first spring means urging said second valve member to said rest position; manually operable means carried by said housing and engaging said second valve member for displacing the same from said rest position to open said bypass means and thereby allow liquid to enter said housing through said inlet thereof and move said piston to a position which locates said first valve member out of engagement with said first valve seat; and second spring means urging said piston toward said first valve seat to place said first valve member in engagement therewith, said second spring means being too weak to move said piston toward said first valve seat against the force of liquid flowing at more than a given rate through said housing from said inlet to said outlet, said second valve seat being located away from said second valve member when the latter is in said rest position after said first valve member is moved from said first valve seat, so that liquid will flow continuously through said housing after actuation and release of said manually operable valve member until the rate of liquid flow is reduced below said given rate by influences outside of said housing.

2. In a fluid distributing apparatus, in combination, a housing formed with an inlet and an outlet for a liquid flowing through said housing; a first valve seat fixed to and located within said housing in the path of liquid flow from said inlet to said outlet; a piston slidable in :said housing toward and away from said valve seat and including a piston Wall portion directed toward said valve seat, formed with an opening passing therethrough, and carrying a tubular portion extending through and beyond said piston wall portion beside said opening therein, having an open end located adjacent said first valve seat and having an opposite end provided with an apertured end wall forming a second valve seat; a first valve member fixed to said tubular portion adjacent said open end thereof and engaging said first valve seat in a rest position of said piston to prevent the flow of liquid from said inlet to said outlet; at second valve member located adjacent said end wall of said tubular portion for engaging the same to close the aperture therein; first spring means operatively connected to said second valve member for urging the same to a closing position engaging said second valve seat when said piston is in said rest position thereof; manually operable means carried by said housing for moving said second valve member away from said second valve seat to open the aperture of said end wall; and second spring means engaging said piston for urging the same toward said first valve seat and for maintaining said piston in its rest position where said first valve member engages said first valve seat, said second spring means being too weak to move said piston to its rest position against a flow of liquid greater than a given rate through said housing so that said first valve member will remain away from said first valve seat and said second valve seat will remain away from said second valve member even after the latter returns to its closing position while liquid flows above said given rate through said housing from said inlet to said outlet, whereby the fiow of liquid through said housing must be reduced below said given rate by influences outside of said housing before said second spring means can move said piston back to its rest position where said first and second valve members respectively engage said first and second valve seats, respectively.

3. Fluid distributing apparatus comprising, in combination, conduit means for directing fluid through said fluid distributing apparatus; valve means carried by said conduit means, communicating with the interior thereof, having an open position providing a free flow of liquid through said conduit means, and having a closed position preventing a flow of liquid through said conduit means; valve opening means operatively connected to said valve means for automatically moving said valve means from said closed to said open position thereof in response to the forces of a liquid flowing through said conduit means and for automatically maintaining said valve means in said open position as long as the rate of liquid flow is above a given value; manually operable bypass means bypassing said valve means for starting a flow of liquid through said conduit means suflicient to open said valve means; valve closing means operatively connected to said valve means for automatically moving the same to said closed position thereof only when the rate of liquid flow falls below said given value; and control means spaced from said valve means and communicating with said conduit means for automatically reducing the rate of liquid flow below said given value after a given quantity of liquid has moved through said conduit means, so that said valve closing means will automatically close said valve means after said given quantity flows through said conduit means.

4. Fluid distributing apparatus comprising, in combination, conduit means for directing fluid through said fluid distributing apparatus; valve means carried by said conduit means, communicating with the interior thereof, having an open position providing a free flow of liquid through said conduit means, and having a closed position preventing a flow of liquid through said conduit means; valve opening means operatively connected to said valve means for automatically moving said valve means from said closed to said open position thereof in response to the forces of a liquid flowing through said conduit means and for automatically maintaining said valve means in said open position as long as the rate oi liquid flow is above a given value; manually operable bypass means bypassing said valve means for starting a flow of liquid through said conduit means sufficient to open said valve means; valve closing means operativel connected to said valve means for automatically moving the same to said closed position thereof only when the rate of liquid flow falls below said given value; and control means spaced upstream of said valve means and communicating with said conduit means for automatically reducing the rate of liquid flow below said given value after a given quantity of liquid has moved through said conduit means, so that said valve closing means will automatically close said valve means after said given quantity flow through said conduit means.

5. Fluid distributing apparatus comprising, in combination, conduit means for directing fluid through said fluid distributing apparatus; valve means carried by said conduit means, communicating with the interior thereof, having an open position providing a free flow of liquid through said conduit means, and having a closed position preventing a flow of liquid through said conduit means; valve opening means operatively connected to said valve means for automatically moving said valve means from said closed to said open position thereof in response to the forces of a liquid flowing through said conduit means and for automatically maintaining said valve means in said open position as long as the rate of liquid flow is above a given value; manually operable bypass means bypassing said valve means for starting a flow of liquid through said conduit means sufficient to open said valve means; valve closing means operatively connected to said valve means for automatically moving the same to said closed position thereof only when the rate of liquid flow falls below said given value; and control means spaced downstream of said valve means and communicating with said conduit means for automatically reducing the rate of liquid flow below said given value after a given quantity of liquid has moved through said conduit means, so that said valve closing means will automatically close said valve means after said given quantity flows through said conduit means.

6. Fluid distributing apparatus comprising, in combination, conduit means for directing fluid through said conduit means; valve means carried by said conduit means, communicating with the interior thereof, having an open position providing a free flow of liquid through said conduit means, and having a closed position preventing a flow of liquid through said conduit means; valve opening means operatively connected to said valve means for automatically moving said valve means from said closed to said open position thereof in response to the forces of a liquid flowing through said conduit means and for automatically maintaining said valve means in said open position as long as the rate of liquid flow is above a given value; manually operable bypass means bypassing said valve means for starting a flow of liquid through said conduit means sufficient to open said valve means; valve closing means operatively connected to said valve means for automatically moving the same to said closed position thereof only when the rate of liquid flow falls below said given value; second valve means located in said conduit means upstream of said firstmentioned valve means to be moved by the force of liquid flowing through said conduit means to a closed position, said second valve means being formed with a bypass providing substantially equal pressures on opposite sides thereof when liquid in said conduit means does not flow therethrough; spring means operatively connected to said second valve means for maintaining the same in an open position when liquid is not flowing through said conduit means; and means for maintaining said second valve means open during flow of liquid through said conduit means until a given quantity of liquid flows through said second valve means, whereby when the latter closes the rate of liquid flow falls below said given value so that said valve closing means then closes said first-mentioned valve means.

7. Fluid distributing apparatus comprising, in combination, conduit means for directing fluid through said conduit means; valve means carried by said conduit means, communicating with the interior thereof, having an open position providing a free flow of liquid through said conduit means, and having a closed position preventing a flow of liquid through said conduit means; valve opening means operatively connected to said valve means for automatically moving said valve means from said closed to said open position thereof in response to the forces of a liquid flowing through said conduit means and for automatically maintaining said valve means in said open position as long as the rate of liquid flow is above a given value; manually operable bypass means bypassing said valve means for starting a flow of liquid through said conduit means suflicient to open said valve means; valve closing means operatively connected to said valve means for automatically moving the same to said closed position thereof only when the rate of liquid flow falls below said given value; a tank located downstream of 8 V said valve means and communicating with said conduit means; second valve means located in said conduit means downstream of said first-mentioned valve means to be closed by the force of liquid flowing through said conduit means; bypass means communicating with said second valve means and with said conduit means for directing part of the liquid flowing-through said conduit means against said second valve means in a direction urging said second valve means to an open position and with a force sufficient to maintain said second valve means open against the force of liquid flowing through said second valve means and along said conduit means into said tank; and a tube communicating with said bypass means and having a bottom open end located at a given elevation in said tank to be closed when liquid in the latter rises to said elevation for reducing the force with which liquid in said bypass means acts on said second valve means, whereby the fluid flowing through said second valve means can then close the latter so as to reduce the rate of liquid flow below said given value whereby said valve closing means then closes said first-mentioned valve means.

8. A fluid distributing apparatus as defined in claim 7 and wherein said second valve means includes a cylindrical housing having an upstream end communicating with said conduit means and formed with a discharge opening, an annular valve seat located in said housing between said upstream end and discharge opening thereof, a valve member located between said valve seat and upstream end of said housing, a piston rod connected to said valve member and extending through said valve seat, a piston fixed to said rod, slidable in said housing, and located on the same side of said valve seat as said discharge opening and further from said valve seat than said discharge opening, said bypass means communicating with said upstream end of said housing and with a face of said piston directed away from said valve seat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 358,018 Costello Feb. 22, 1887 937,484 Sturgess Oct. 19, 1909 1,714,447 Rockwell May 21, 1929 1,728,821 Carbonaro Sept. 17, 1929 2,402,036 Giger June 11, 1946 2,433,507 Delaney Dec. 30, 1947 2,583,295 Greer et a1. Jan. 22, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 678,055 Germany July 7, 1939 

